Chapter Thirteen
Lennon
Authors Note: Hello and Happy New Year! I’m so sorry that it’s taken me this long to share more of Brooks and Lennon with you, but I’m thrilled to be back to posting! It was an unintentional hiatus, but it was good for the creative juices, and I’m excited to finish this story with you this year. I hope you enjoy this first chapter back :)
-Emma
Not that I ever wanted to remember the near-public sex I’d witnessed in that hotel bar a few weeks ago, but I think I understood it now.
I remembered thinking that I’d never felt an ounce of passion like they had––the kind that made it feel like it was only the two of you in the room, and like you’d let them do anything they wanted to you in a room full of people.
I was fairly certain I got it now.
In this moment, there was nothing but Brooks. His body dwarfed mine, and his hand felt like heaven where it threaded through my hair and rested against my scalp. He was all I could see and smell, and I wanted to get lost in him. I don’t think I’d ever wanted anything more in my entire life than how badly I’d wanted him in the last five minutes.
We’d slowed things down after the reality of the moment seemed to catch up with us, but the memory of the fire he’d lit in me hadn’t faded nearly enough. I’d felt his desire, as if it was a tangible thing in the room with us, and it matched my own. The fire wasn’t roaring through us anymore, but the embers were still scalding hot.
Part of me wanted to say it came out of nowhere, but I think it’d been building by the hour since I’d ogled him at that cafe on the first day. Yesterday, when he’d stared at my mouth like he might want to explore it with his own, I’d been unable to stop my attraction to him from running away with itself. His mild flirting had been escalating, and it was addicting to be on the receiving end of his attention.
His hand trailed lazily up and down my spine, and I wondered if this was how Maple felt when I pet her.
“I could sit here all day,” I mumbled. My lips brushed against the skin of his neck, and I revelled in the shudder I dragged out of him as I spoke. “But we should get up and get ready to go.”
“We should,” he said, but he didn’t move a muscle, his voice thick with barely contained need.
I couldn’t even see his face, but Wanting Brooks was up there with Morning Brooks on the hotness scale, as far as I was concerned. He didn’t even try to bank the desire in his voice, and I loved it.
Brooks was the kind of man who was confident about what he wanted and stuck to his goals––not allowing for any distractions. He wasn’t afraid to show me that there was something there for him, even if he couldn’t go there just yet.
Goosebumps broke out along the skin of my forearms as I thought about what that might mean when he did ask me out on that coffee date. If this was the Brooks I got when he wasn’t all in, I had no idea what to expect when he was––but I knew I’d like Ready Brooks. A lot.
I wasn’t confident we would make it the half hour back to my cabin from that date.
My phone began buzzing in my back pocket, pulling me from delicious thoughts of what a first date with Brooks would look like. It vibrated loudly against the floor of his living room, but before I could move to grab it, his hand slid down my back with purpose. I held my breath in anticipation as he pulled me in towards his left side, so the right side of my ass came off the floor.
His other hand moved down my spine, over my ribs, crested my hip, and continued past the phone that was vibrating there. I didn’t dare move to reach for it––as if caught in his spell, and any movement would make this fever dream stop.
Brooks’ hand spread across my ass and he grabbed me––his long fingers brushing the backs of my thigh as he did, and squeezed once––before retreating slightly and sliding up to the top of the pocket of my jeans.
Confident fingers delved into the gap in the fabric, and retrieved my phone for me, taking their sweet time.
At this rate, I would miss the call, but I didn’t care. Not one bit.
I was far too focussed on the feelings he was able to elicit in me with a simple touch.
Brooks leaned back and released me, the cocky smile on his face telling me he knew exactly what he was doing, and handed my phone to me.
“Your phone is ringing.”
Knowing my face was flushed, and that he was devouring my blush with his eyes, I reached and took it from his hand.
“Tease,” I whispered, not trusting my voice.
He grinned slowly, making that dimple appear. “Sorry.”
I shoved playfully at his chest. “No, you’re not.”
“From the look on your face, neither are you,” he shot back, his grin deepening.
“True,” I said, sounding rather breathless.
Dragging my eyes from him felt impossible, but I glanced at the screen, curious to see who’d both created and interrupted this moment.
Instantly, I sobered.
It was the treatment facility.
Brooks glanced at the screen and his face changed too, his eyes flicking to my face and staying there as I brought the phone to my ear.
“Lennon Ward speaking,” I said, proud of how normal I sounded.
“Hello, Miss Ward,” a bright voice responded. “I’m so sorry for the late notice, but something has come up and my presence is needed in the main building today. I don’t think I’ll be able to make our meeting. Would you be open to rescheduling?”
I glanced at Brooks’ hand resting on my hip, checking the time on his watch. Our meeting was in less than a half hour.
“Oh, sure,” I said, aware of the disappointment in my voice.
I’d felt optimistic that today would be a turning point for my investigation, but it felt like things just weren’t panning out that way today. First with Cadence refusing to help if Matt was involved, and now this.
I felt Brooks watching me and knew he was reading me again––and probably trying to think up a way to achieve our goal without the meeting taking place. He reached up and brought the phone away from my ear, cupping my hand in his and putting the call on speakerphone as he did.
“Hi Evelyn,” he said warmly, though the tone didn’t match his facial expression. “It’s Brooks O’Connor. We met when my sister was receiving care at the centre.”
“Yes, Brooks! Hi,” she exclaimed. “I hope you’re doing well.”
He shot me a look that said unlikely, and I squeezed his arm, offering an encouraging smile. “Thank you,” he said. “I understand you aren’t able to meet with us today, but would you be open to answering a few of Lennon’s questions over the phone? We are trying to keep the investigation moving and any help you could offer us would be greatly appreciated. Time is of the essence, as you know.”
“Of course,” she said. “But I only have a few minutes.”
Brooks nodded to me and I leaned in to be closer to the phone, coincidentally bringing me even closer to the man who’d set me on fire from the inside only minutes ago. I should’ve pulled away and moved to the table or something, but instead, I was about to ask this woman questions with my legs thrown around Brooks O’Connor, as we sat tangled together on the floor.
Maybe it was a good thing that this interview was taking place over the phone. Sure, I’d wanted to scope out the place and see if anyone approached me, but there was a chance that wouldn’t have happened, anyway. This way, I could ask her what I would’ve asked in person, Brooks wouldn’t have to go through something else today, and I could tell Nora to pick me up and bring me home.
I was entirely too aware of the man that had me half-thrown across his body, and now that we’d toed that line, I didn’t know how to go back to how things were before. I’d felt his physical affection, and I wanted more––even if my mind knew that was a bad idea. A reset was much needed, and that was only going to happen when we weren’t this close to one another.
“Hi Evelyn,” I said, clearing my throat. “I understand that there’s a limit of what you’re able to tell us, but was there anything that stuck out to you about Hailey when she arrived? We have reason to believe she was leaving a delicate situation. Was she concerned about someone following her there?”
She paused for a minute, and I thought I could hear her typing something in the background. Pulling up a file or something, probably. “Yes, actually. She was very clear with us that we were not to disclose that she was there to anyone who might’ve called. We can’t do that anyway, but she wanted to make sure that her information would be kept private.”
That made sense with what Cadence had told us. Matt had done something that scared her enough to want to get out of the city and get clean, and when she’d attended treatment for the second time, this time in Fort Havre, it made sense that she would be cautious. Looking over your shoulder didn’t just go away overnight––or in Hailey’s case, a few years.
I had questions about the logistics of that, like how she’d remained in the city and evaded him while still partying, especially if he had connections like Cadence had said. Was that why she’d moved to Elmwood after finishing treatment at the Fort Havre treatment facility?
“Did she ever mention a name to you?” I asked. “We may know who she was avoiding, but I just wanted to confirm.”
“No,” Evelyn said. “She didn’t give us a name, but she said if anyone other than the people on her list called, to tell her.”
“Can you tell me who was on that list?” I asked.
Silence.
“Would it be easier to just confirm names that I give you?” I asked, sensing we’d run into a boundary.
“That would be fine,” she agreed.
I looked at Brooks, and he started us off with himself, which she confirmed. Next was Cadence, who was also on the list.
When he got to Alicia, Evelyn said that name was not on the list, earning a surprised look from Brooks.
Could that be because she was trying to get distance from the people who she used to party with, or did it go deeper than that?
“Do you see the same people come in more than once?” I asked, following a new line of questioning.
“It depends, but sometimes.”
“You don’t have to tell me names, but is anyone there who was there at the same time as Hailey?”
She hesitated, as if searching for my angle. “There might be.”
“Is there any way you’d be willing to pass my contact information along to them? You can just let them know I’m the private investigator looking into Hailey’s disappearance, and if they have any information that they think might be helpful, I’d love to talk to them.” I held my breath as we waited for her to respond.
“I can do that,” Evelyn confirmed. “But if they don’t contact you, I can’t push them. I’m not even sure what they’d be able to tell you.”
“Of course,” I said in a hurry. “I know that it’s a long shot, but if they knew her well when she was getting treatment, there’s a chance she confided in them, and they might know something that will help the investigation.”
She made a noise of understanding, and I gave her my email and phone number again. “I’ll put it out there, Miss Ward. I wish I could be of more help, but I really do have to get going.”
“No problem,” Brooks said. “Thank you for being willing to talk with us over the phone. I really appreciate it, and I know my sister would, too.”
With the knowledge that Hailey might’ve been in hiding, rather than missing, I wasn’t entirely sure if she would be appreciative, but that didn’t matter. Brooks wanted answers, and I worked for him.
As Brooks said his goodbyes, I let my mind wander. It wasn’t unheard of to find out a missing person lived a double life, or had fled to start over, but something about Hailey’s case wasn’t sitting right with me. It was hard to believe that something dark was happening in our neck of the woods, but I knew better than to turn a blind eye just because I was comfortable here.
Monsters could take on any form––even that of your neighbour.
The thought was unsettling, but I’d made a commitment to Brooks and Hailey and I would see it through, even if it unearthed something that changed me forever. If there was something violent and dangerous lurking in our fields, we deserved to know it.
The victims deserved for their story to be shared.
Carson had let me know that he’d keep an ear out for updates on Alicia’s case, and I was scouring my resources for any news, too. She might not have been who I was originally tasked to find, but knowing that she’d spent time at my lake, I felt like I owed it to her to investigate as much as I could.
Brooks ended the call and closed my fingers over my phone, pulling me back to this moment with him. A part of me, that I was learning only surfaced for him, expressed its disappointment that he hadn’t put it back where he’d found it.
Which reminded me exactly why an afternoon apart was probably what we needed.
“I can call Nora and see if she’s still in the city. If she is, and you’re okay with it, I can have her pick me up here. I’ve got some digging I wanted to do, and I can do that back in Elmwood. You don’t have to worry about driving me home,” I said.
My legs were still thrown over his, and the hand that was resting on my hip squeezed, sending a thrill through me.
“It wouldn’t be a problem, but that sounds like it makes more sense,” he said. “I have some work to catch up on, too.”
I nodded, and began extricating myself from him, but his hand tightened and he held me there. “Thank you for doing that on the fly. The questions were simple, but I didn’t have the brain power to do that on my own.”
Meeting his eyes, I fought the urge to take his face in my hands. “You don’t have to thank me for doing my job, Brooks.”
Brooks leaned forward and rested his forehead on my shoulder. “I know, but I like expressing my appreciation.”
I threaded my hand through the hair at the back of his head and he let out a low groan of approval.
“I should call Nora,” I said.
“I know.” He sighed and turned his face into my neck. It was my turn to appreciate the feel of his mouth near my pulse. “But I also know that as soon as you leave, this moment will be over.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Two more minutes?”
“Okay,” I said with a laugh. “Two more minutes.”
“You can even charge me for them,” he offered.
Smacking his shoulder lightly, I let out an offended noise. “I am not charging you for them.”
I could feel the amusement coming off of him in waves. “I’m just kidding. But know that the option is there. You could even invoice it as emotional support hours.”
Rolling my eyes with a smile, I tightened my fingers in his hair, pulling on it gently. “Consider it my good karma for the week.”
His laugh was muffled against my shoulder, and I grinned. “Why pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru, when you can just hug a sad grown man for two minutes?”
“My thoughts exactly,” I said as I dragged my fingers along his scalp, to the top of his head. Winding the longer strands around my fingers, I let myself soak up the moment.
I’d read something once about how humans needed physical touch, and that we weren’t meant to live so isolated from it. Touch had been there from the start with Brooks––not like this of course––but I couldn’t help wondering if we were just two lonely people who felt one another and couldn’t resist extending a hand.
Hailey lived an hour away from Brooks, and they spoke on the phone once a week. Even when they were in contact, he had to be lonely living out here in the city by himself.
“It’s been two minutes,” he said. “This is starting to look like charity work, Lennon.”
The memory of him using my nickname earlier came back, and I missed the sound of it on his lips.
“You’re just so desperate, I can’t help but let you get away with it,” I teased.
His laughter rumbled through me. “Being an orphan does come with its perks, I suppose.”
The sound that left me was somewhere between a gasp and a horrified laugh. “Oh my god, don’t say that!”
“I couldn’t help it. You set me up perfectly.” I pulled away and shook my head at him. He smiled warmly at me and tucked a curl behind my ear. “If you think that was dark, you should hear the shit Hailey used to say as a coping mechanism.”
“I don’t know if I want to,” I said with a laugh.
“Don’t use the orphan card with you,” he said, pretending to take notes in an imaginary notebook. “Noted.”
“You don’t need to use the orphan card with me,” I pointed out. “We’ve been sitting like this for like forty-five minutes.”
“But will the orphan card get me to an hour?” he asked with a mischievous grin. “Because I’m not above using dark humour to keep you in my apartment forever.”
Ignoring the way the word forever made me feel, I stuck my fingers in my ears and whisper-yelled, “WHAT?”
Brooks sat back on his hands and tipped his head backward, laughing loudly. I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot, overly proud of myself for pulling a real laugh out of him. It was loud and warm and made my bones feel like they were made of sunshine.
Sobering, he shook his head at me, a grin still plastered on his face, and whisper-yelled back, “CALL NORA!”
“WHAT?”
Another sunshine laugh. “GO HOME!”
I grinned, pulling my fingers from my ears. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Smart ass.” Brooks chuckled and hooked his hands under my knees, giving my legs back to me.
I didn’t really want them––I liked it better when they were in his possession––but I took them back anyway. He stood and helped me to my feet, and I reluctantly let him, feeling the finality of the moment like a slap to the face.
Twenty minutes later, Nora was being buzzed up to Brooks’ apartment so she could pee before the drive home. I was fairly confident she just wanted to be able to say that she’d seen the inside of her favourite sports writer's apartment, but I couldn’t exactly call her on it in front of him. Brooks was, as always, gracious and accommodating of Nora, who clearly knew what cards to play.
I’d told her she could hold it until we reached a gas station, and he’d looked horrified at the suggestion.
So, Nora was on her way up, and I was preparing to pretend like I hadn’t been wrapped around him like I was a koala and he was a eucalyptus tree.
A really tall, really hot eucalyptus tree.
I was perched at his kitchen island, drinking a coffee he’d made me out of a mug that read Plant Dad, an apparent gift from Hailey. It was adorable, and had drawn my eye to the plants hanging in front of the windows and dotting the available table space, giving his apartment a lush feel, like the air was cleaner here than it was in the hall. Brooks was currently watering them, with a plastic purple watering can, that he said had belonged to his mother.
He had a sentimental soul, and I liked that about him.
I took another sip of the coffee, appreciating that he was an oat milk drinker, too. My mom had been on a vegan kick in the last few years of her life, and the milk switch was one thing I’d kept up with after she passed.
A knock at the door brought me out of the thoughts of my mother, and I stood and followed Brooks to the door, mug in hand. He opened the door for Nora, who had a strange look on her face, like she’d just been shaken by something.
“Nor? Are you okay?” I reached for her, pulling her into the apartment so Brooks could close the door.
She brushed sapphire hair out of her eyes and looked between the two of us. “I ran into Travis.”
I pulled back in surprise. “What? Like, here? In Fort Havre?”
Nora nodded, meeting my eyes with a furrowed brow. “I think he thought I was you, and he tried to get into your car.”
“What the fuck?” Brooks said. “Where?”
“Just outside your apartment,” she explained. “It was so weird. We’d just hung up, and I was about to get out of the car when he came out of nowhere and started yanking on the passenger side door. He looked weird, Lennon.”
A chill ran down my spine, and I hurried to one of the street facing windows.